DPI Press Release
United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women

New York, 19 April, 1996

Role of Women Stressed by Speakers in Commission on Sustainable Development

New York, 19 April 1996
- The critical role of women in the eradication of poverty and the
achievement of sustainable development was stressed by speakers this
morning in the Commission on Sustainable Development, which monitors
implementation of "Agenda 21" -- the blueprint for sustainable development
adopted by the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development
(UNCED, Rio de Janeiro, 1992).

The representative of Australia said that women had an important
contribution to make in both alleviating poverty and achieving sustainable
population levels. The advancement of women was essential to economic and
social development, she said, emphasizing that the full participation of
women remained one of the great challenges for achieving sustainable
development.

The representative of Italy, speaking on behalf of the European Union,
said that the empowerment of women was a cornerstone of population and
development policies and that education was one of the most important means
of empowering women.

The representatives of Mexico and of Colombia stressed that poverty
eradication was an essential part of Agenda 21. Mexico termed the transfer
of technology a "basic pillar" of sustainable development. Colombia urged
the secretariat to undertake a quantifiable analysis of adherence to Agenda
21 commitments regarding financial resources.

The representative of Switzerland endorsed the consideration of
environmental concerns within the multilateral trade system. It was hoped
that the World Trade Organization (WTP) Committee on Trade and Environment
would present conclusions on the crucial link between trade and environment
at the first WTO ministerial meeting, to be held in Singapore later this
year.

The representative of the United Kingdom said that the Commission should
reduce the scope of its decisions and resolutions, focusing on key issues.
Next year's General Assembly special session should set out a small number
of high-profile political issues on which the Commission could pursue
international consensus.

Statements were also made by the representatives of the Czech Republic,
India, Sweden, United States and Japan. A representative of the Natural
Resources Defense Council also spoke.

When it meets again at 3 p.m. today, the Commission will continue its
discussion of cross-sectoral issues with particular reference to critical
elements of sustainability and the review of cross-sectoral clusters in
Agenda 21.

Commission Work Programme

The Commission on Sustainable Development met this morning to continue
its discussion of cross-sectoral issues with particular reference to
critical elements of sustainability and the review of cross-sectoral
clusters in "Agenda 21 -- the blueprint for sustainable development adopted
by the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED),
Rio de Janeiro 1992.

The discussion would include a review of the question of education,
science and transfer of environmentally sound technology, with particular
reference to chapters 34, 36 and 37 of Agenda 21; decision-making
structures, with particular reference to chapters 8 and 38 to 40; and the
role of major groups with particular reference to chapters 23 to 32. (For
background on reports before the Commission, see Press Release ENV/DEV/346
of 18 April.)

Statements

BEDRICH MOLDAN (Czech Republic) said that his country had organized a
workshop on education and public awareness for sustainable development in
an effort to support the transition from environmental education to
sustainable development education. That workshop found that awareness of
sustainable development was still limited. Education for sustainable
development should foster respect for diverse values and the points of view
of others who were seeking their own environmental sustainability. It
should also incorporate the special needs of minority groups, small island
developing States as well as social issues, ethical/moral issues and issues
of gender.

"The values behind the education for sustainable development should be
determined locally, as much as possible, while respecting the global
minimum of universally accepted values", he said. In addition, such
education should be linked to the eradication of poverty as well as to
human and environmental security.

He said that primary, secondary and tertiary programmes should offer
education on sustainable development within their curriculum. A greater
collaboration between industrialized and developing countries should be
encouraged in their effort to promote sustainable development in
recognition of the need for a shared approach to global issues.

GUISEPPE JACOANGELI (Italy), speaking on behalf of the European Union,
said that the Union was convinced that levels of population, together with
consumption and production patterns, widespread poverty and inequality were
among the major factors undermining sustainable development. The world
population would reach 10 billion by 2030-2040. Sustainable development
policies must take that fact into account.

The empowerment of women was a cornerstone of population and
development policies and education was one of the most important means of
empowering women. The non-governmental sector had a special role to play
in the implementation of population and development policies. Access to
reproductive health services, including family planning, was essential.

While governments had the major responsibility for their own population
and development policies and programmes, there was a need for international
cooperation in that area. Those efforts should focus on developing human
resources, improving infrastructure and increasing the use of family
planning.

NIRMAL ANDREWS (India) said that the provisions of Agenda 21 needed to be
implemented with vigour. The eradication of poverty was a key issue.
Resources must be used more efficiently and to internalize environmental
costs in the development process. India held the view that there was a
very special place for the global nature of partnership for sustainable
development based on responsibilities that were common but differentiated.
There was need for new and additional funds for capacity-building. The
capacities of international institutions for promoting sustainable
development should also be strengthened.

He warned that pockets of prosperity could not be sustained in a global
environment dominated by poverty. Efforts to deal with global issues,
therefore, needed collective thinking and global investment.

India was in the process of changing directions towards sustainability,
he said. Capacity-building efforts were now directed at issues such as
pollution control. There was also a decentralization of decision-making.

JOANNE DISANO (Australia) welcomed the Secretary-General's report on
progress made in poverty eradication and sustainable development.
Australia recognized the intrinsic linkages between poverty eradication and
development. It also recognized that women had a very important
contribution in both the relief of poverty and achieving sustainable
population levels. The advancement of women was essential to economic and
social development. The full participation of women remained one of the
great challenges for achieving sustainable development.

On the transfer of technology, she welcomed the emphasis by the
Secretary-General on the importance of the private sector, including the
involvement of business in efforts to improve the transfer of
environmentally sound technologies. The key role of the private sector in
the transfer of environmentally sound technology made it crucial to develop
strong intellectual rights legislation.

"Achieving sustainable development requires well-informed integrated
decision-making at all levels", she continued. That called for the
identification of indicators of sustainable development.

URS HERREN (Switzerland) said that the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) should continue developing an information network on
environmentally sound technology so as to facilitate technology transfer.
National technology needs assessments were a powerful tool to promote
technology transfer and capacity-building, and the formation of
public/private partnerships. Commercial policies and actions to protect
the environment could reinforce each other. Efficient environmental
policies, together with an open trading system, could lead to more
efficient and rational use of natural resources.

Switzerland endorsed the consideration of environmental concerns within
the multilateral trade system, he said. It was hoped that the World Trade
Organization Committee (WTO) on Trade and Environment would present
conclusions on the crucial link between trade and environment at the first
WTO Ministerial Meeting, to be held in Singapore later this year.

In certain cases, trade measures could be an efficient instrument to
achieve environmental objectives, he continued. But trade measures should
be considered with great care. It was within the mandate of the WTO to
make sure that trade measures with environmental objectives were in no way
protectionist. Voluntary labeling programs could have a positive impact
for the protection of the environment. Those programmes should have
environmental objectives, but should also further consumer and health
protection. Appropriate technical and financial assistance must be
considered for the necessary capacity-building, especially in least
developed countries.

BRIAN OLIVER (United Kingdom) said that the Commission should give a
political lead on key sustainable development issues. Its decision last
year to create an Intergovernmental Panel on Forests was a good example.
The Commission should concentrate similar efforts on oceans, providing
clear political leadership. There was a risk of the Commission's influence
being watered down by trying to take on too much. It should be careful not
to duplicate work being undertaken in the context of existing multilateral
environmental agreements.

The Commission secretariat had made important gains in reducing the
length of documents and concentrating them on conclusions and
recommendations, he said. The Commission might also consider reducing the
scope of its decisions and resolutions, focusing on key issues on which it
could make substantive conclusions.

The task of the General Assembly's special session next year would be to
set out a small number of high-profile political issues on which the
Commission could seek international consensus, he went on. The United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) had rightly been given an important
role in that effort; it was also crucial that that agency address internal
governance issues. The national reporting process was crucial to the work
of the Commission; consideration should be given to further simplifying
that programme.

GERARDO LOZANO (Mexico) said that reports before the Commission should
contain in-depth analysis. They should be more than a factual accounting
of activities carried out in implementation of Agenda 21. They should
realistically evaluate accomplishments, indicating those areas in which
efforts should be increased.

Mexico agreed with the Secretary-General that the struggle against
poverty should occupy a central place in strategies for sustainable
development, he stated. Poverty and environmental deterioration were
locked in a vicious circle. Alleviating poverty was a critical part of
reversing environmental decline. The approach now adopted in that regard
was questionable; the environmental and social costs of the open market
should be internalized.

Regarding demography, he said there was a relationship between
population, consumption patterns and environmental decline, but references
in the report of the Secretary-General were somewhat biased. The principle
of common but differentiated responsibilities was crucial. Regarding
financial questions, there was a general tendency to avoid past
commitments. The principle of complementarity was essential; implementing
the Rio Conference agreements required a genuine global commitment.

The transfer of technology was a basic pillar of sustainable development,
he continued. The reports of the Secretary-General seemed to be
inconsistent with the conclusions of the inter-sessional working group on
finance and consumption patterns. The Secretary-General had drawn
attention to the importance of national resources as regards
environmentally rational programmes for small- and medium-sized industries,
but the Rio Conference had stressed the importance of international
financing for those programmes.

FERNANDO CASAS CASTANEGA (Colombia) said that the commitments of Agenda
21 should not be re-written. The international community should
concentrate on their implementation. Poverty alleviation and the changing
of consumption patterns were the heart of Agenda 21. It was urgent that
methods identified in Agenda 21 facilitate progress in achieving
commitments derived from common but differentiated responsibilities. There
had been setbacks in technology transfer and in the provision of financial
resources. The secretariat should undertake a quantifiable analysis of
adherence to Agenda 21 commitments regarding financial resources. The
setting of environmental standards would rely on the support of the major
developed countries, particularly major exporting States. National
educational systems were the primary tool to be employed in alleviating
poverty.

BO KJELLEN (Sweden) said that all municipalities in his country were now
working on their own local agenda 21. They were at different levels
because they had not started at the same time. A number of the
municipalities had given themselves particular responsibilities under the
label of "ecomunicipalities". The success that had been achieved by the
municipalities had been in part due to the efforts of the private sector
and non-governmental organizations which had worked hand-in-hand with the
municipal and central governments.

He said that the municipalities had stressed the need for better
coordination in government policies, help in information efforts and clear
cooperation and consultation with regard to the relationship between
national and regional governments. Sweden believed that the work at the
local level had revitalized democratic dialogue and interest in problems
that were common to the people in the municipalities as well as interest in
global issues.

TAKAO SHIBATA (Japan) said that information played an important role in
the implementation of Agenda 21. Japan welcomed the progress made in the
development of indicators for sustainable development. It had organized a
workshop in Glen Cove, New York, on that issue. The workshop emphasized
the importance of feedback in measuring the overall impact of indicators.
It also identified gaps which needed to be addressed. Japan would make
available the report of that workshop.

MARK G. HAMBLEY (United States) said that his country's national
environmental technology strategy called "Bridge to a Sustainable Future",
which was submitted to the Commission on Sustainable Development last
spring, highlighted the efforts that the United States intended to pursue
to promote the development, use and dissemination of environmental
technologies at home and abroad.

He said that the United States could not support some of the
recommendations in the Secretariat's paper, especially with respect to the
work coming out of the ISO 4000 exercise, the UNEP efforts with respect to
environmentally sound technology information systems and national
technology needs assessment work. The Commission should continue in a
strengthened and broadened role as the forum for reviewing United Nations
support for national efforts in pursuit of sustainable development. It
should also play the role of a main commission for the Economic and Social
Council in pulling together all related aspects of United Nations
conference follow-up and the United Nations involvement in promoting
sustainable development. To facilitate its interaction with specialized
agencies, the Commission should be based in Geneva after 1997.

The contribution of the United Nations Conference on Trade and
Development (UNCTAD) pressed that organization's views rather than
reflected the outcome of discussions that had taken place within the ad hoc
working group and in the World Trade Organization's Committee on Trade and
Environment, he went on. Organizations interested in undertaking work on
specific areas of the trade and environment agenda should avoid
duplication. They should coordinate with the lead organization responsible
for such work to ensure that resources were not expended on initiatives for
which no mandate existed.

The United States also had difficulty with the proposal to have the
Commission provide advice to UNCTAD IX on how UNCTAD should organize itself
to meet its responsibilities under Agenda 21, he said.

Mr. JACOANGELI (Italy), speaking on behalf of the European Union on the
topic of capacity-building, said that the ability to implement Agenda 21
was directly proportionate to the capacity of people and institutions. The
European Union attached great importance to the enhancement of human,
scientific, technological, organizational, institutional and resource
capabilities of countries. Since the UNCED, new trends were emerging in
development cooperation which assigned a central role to capacity-building.

The Union believed that the UNDP should continue efforts to strengthen
the capacity of developing countries in planning and policy-making, he
said. The UNEP should concentrate on its catalytic role in disseminating
information and assisting in the establishment of networks of scientific
institutions on environmentally sound technologies. Environmental
legislation was a favourable condition for successful penetration of
environmentally sound technologies on the market. The Commission should
initiate the gathering of more information on the relations between
utilization of such technologies, environmental legislation and
enforcement.

He also stressed the importance of environmental technology centres for
improved utilization of environmentally sound technologies. Such centres
could play a role as centres of expertise for the execution and further
development of national needs assessments and as brokers of information.

JACQUELINE HAMILTON of the Natural Resources Defense Council and Earth
Summit Watch, presented a report on population growth, improving the lives
of women and preserving the environment for future generations. Country-
bycountry monitoring would serve to demonstrate positive examples. For the
past year, her organization had monitored the efforts of States to follow-
up to the International Conference on Population and Development (Cairo,
1994).

Many new organizations were focusing on health and reproduction, and
women's empowerment. National leaders such as those of Haiti and Peru had
focused policy on population; several countries, such as Ireland, Namibia,
South Africa and Zimbabwe had engaged in widespread national dialogue on
population issues. Countries such as Antigua and Barbuda, Namibia,
Nicaragua, Pakistan, Peru, South Africa and Thailand all planned to
increase spending on reproductive health and girls' education. The United
States and Canada were decreasing spending on population-related
development assistance and on national reproductive health care. The
United States reductions were particularly dramatic.

She urged the Commission to coordinate its work with that of the
Commissions on Population and Development, on the Status of Women, as well
as the UNCTAD. States should make greater effort to include officials from
different disciplines in environmental discussions, especially those
concerned with health, women's affairs and population.